Chapter 8 - Emma stared at the photograph.Julian Moretti.
Her mother's first son.
The brother nobody had told her existed.
Vincent looked at the picture.
His face went pale.
“That's Julian.”
“You know him?”
“He was believed dead.”
Emma stared.
“Again?”
Vincent ignored the sarcasm.
“Julian disappeared when he was twenty.”
“How?”
“My father sent him away.”
“Why?”
Vincent hesitated.
“Because Julian tried to kill him.”
Emma's stomach twisted.
“You're saying my brother tried to murder your father?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Vincent looked at the photograph.
“Because Matthias convinced him your father was responsible for ruining our family.”
Emma suddenly understood the larger picture.
Victoria.
Matthias.
Julian.
Daniel.
Her mother.
All connected.
A knock sounded downstairs.
Vincent drew his weapon.
Emma whispered,
“Who is it?”
A voice answered.
“It's your mother.”
Emma ran down.
Her mother stood in the doorway.
Older than the woman in Emma's memories.
Exhausted.
Terrified.
Emma stopped.
“Mom?”
Her mother looked at Vincent.
Then at the photograph in Emma's hand.
“You found out.”
Emma's voice shook.
“You have a son.”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Julian was dangerous.”
“So you erased him.”
“I protected you.”
“You lied to me my whole life.”
“I lied because I had no choice.”
Emma stepped closer.
“Where is he?”
Her mother looked toward Vincent.
“You brought him back.”
Vincent frowned.
“Who?”
“Matthias.”
Silence.
Emma's mother continued.
“He contacted me six months ago.”
“What did he want?”
“To make a trade.”
“For what?”
“Daniel.”
Emma's eyes widened.
“You traded my father?”
“No.”
Her mother began crying.
“I was supposed to.”
“What does that mean?”
“He promised to leave all of you alone if I gave him the location of Daniel.”
Emma looked horrified.
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Then why is Daniel missing?”
Her mother shook her head.
“Because Julian found him first.”
Vincent moved toward her.
“Where?”
She looked at him.
“The old Moretti estate.”
“The one in Lake Forest?”
She nodded.
“Under the chapel.”
Vincent's expression changed.
“There's a tunnel beneath it.”
Emma looked at him.
“You know?”
“My father used it during Prohibition.”
Her mother grabbed Emma's arm.
“You cannot go there.”
“I have to.”
“Julian is there.”
“That's my brother.”
“He is not the boy you think he was.”
Emma pulled away.
“You don't know what I think.”
Her mother whispered,
“He killed someone to get Daniel.”
“Who?”
Her mother's eyes filled with tears.
“Victoria Langford.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
“She discovered the truth.”
Emma stared.
“Victoria is dead?”
“No.”
Her mother shook her head.
“That is what everyone is supposed to believe.”
Vincent stared.
“She's working with Julian.”
“And Matthias.”
Emma whispered,
“So all three of them are together.”
Her mother nodded.
Then the lights in the house went out.
Emma heard footsteps behind her.
A voice whispered from the hallway.
“Not all three.”
Emma turned.
Julian stepped into the doorway.
Emma froze.
He looked almost exactly like her.
Same eyes.
Same jawline.
Same faint crease beside the mouth.
He smiled.
“Hello, little sister.”
Vincent raised his weapon.
Julian laughed.
“Put it down.”
“No.”
“Then she'll die.”
Emma looked toward her mother.
A thin blade was pressed against her throat.
Julian stepped closer.
“I didn't come to hurt you.”
“You kidnapped my father.”
“I rescued him.”
“You tried to kill Vincent.”
“No.”
Julian's expression darkened.
“I tried to kill the man who ordered my father's death.”
Emma stared.
“Who?”
Julian looked toward Vincent.
“Ask him.”
Vincent's jaw tightened.
“I didn't kill Daniel's father.”
Julian smiled bitterly.
“Not Daniel's father.”
He leaned toward Emma.
“Our father.”
Emma's heart stopped.
“Our father?”
Julian nodded.
“You still think Daniel Carter is your father.”
He laughed.
“He isn't.”
Emma couldn't speak.
Julian whispered,
“Daniel raised you.”
May you like
Then he said the words that shattered everything.
“Matthias Moretti is our biological father.”
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